What Does The Future Of Black British Film Look Like? A Discussion With Tomisin Adepeju, Anthony Vander, Kashif Boothe, Duaine Carma Roberts Hosted By Levi Eddie Aluede

It’s January 2021 and I’m reminiscing on the future of Black British filmmakers and their current state in the film industry. Coming off the back of Steve McQueen‘s Small Axe anthology and films like Blue Story and His House which made waves last year, I hope we’re just about on the precipice of seeing a big change in the number of Black British filmmakers behind the camera and the stories they tell. As a Black British filmmaker myself, understanding our industry has always been vital for me and navigating my career; I don’t think the film industry worldwide recognises what the situation is like in the UK when it comes to diversity behind the camera, especially in the director’s chair.

For this discussion, I’ve managed to gather a few peers at different levels; experienced writers, directors, and producers already making leaps and bounds, set to make a huge change in the UK. Tomisin Adepeju (Sundance alumni and nominated director), Anthony Vander (award-winning actor and of Distortion Entertainment), Dauine Carma Roberts (writer/director of award-nominated Angel City), Kashif Boothe (award-winning filmmaker and producer of Kashif Boothe Ent.) and this is hosted by myself, Levi Eddie Aluede (award-winning writer/director of Visions of a Vivid Life).

Levi Eddie Aluede for Film Inquiry: We don’t have Ava Duvernay’s, Barry Jenkins’, Bradford Young’s, Boots Riley’s or Jordan Peele’s and we certainly don’t have the films that come with them but why?

Kashif Boothe: Good question. I think the reason why it’s taking longer for the Black British directors to get their recognition is that they’ve not had the same backing as their white counterparts. Noel Clark’s Kidulthood film series is arguably considered our Boyz N Hood but did not, to my knowledge, receive worldwide distribution. Black British filmmakers are starting to get more recognition today because the access we have to films nowadays is different from how it was 20 years ago and that opens up many doors for filmmakers internationally.

Tomisin Adepeju: Excellent question there, brother, the answer is really complex. The UK has had a diversity problem for decades, the problem is deeply rooted in the very crux of the British film industry. The talent has always been there brother, but we’ve never had the support, resources, exposure or platform to develop our stories and voice. In the past few years, there’s been a very conscious incentive to push BAME & diversity in the UK, there’s been schemes and reports and interventions but it still feels like we have a very long way to go.

I am encouraged by directors like Remi Weekes, Destiny Ekaragha, actor turned director Aki Omoshaybi, Debbie Tucker Green, Shola Amoo, Rapman, and a few others who have managed to release their debut features in the past few years but we don’t have the same infrastructure like the States. There’s so much Black British directorial talent in this country but we need the support to tell our stories. I know a few filmmakers who are doing it themselves (self-funding, Kickstarter backed projects) and I’m all for telling our stories by any means necessary. Can’t wait for the gatekeepers to notice us. I know Duaine is going the self-funding route for his feature and that’s just inspiring! He’s just going out and doing it himself.

The gatekeepers aspect is a good point to bring up especially with Boys N The Hood, a film that was produced by a studio that took a risk on a director my age (23)! I’ve self-funded all my own work so far but what bothers me is that I’ve received very little support outside of that career-wise and I spoke to Duaine about this very same concept after he made his last feature, Angel City was nominated alongside Rocks and Blue Story; a self-funded feature and its still a struggle to get his next film backed. Getting your film made is hard no matter who you are but we have to nurture and support our young black filmmakers that aren’t the 1 or 2 exceptions. All the inspiring filmmakers Tomisin has mentioned seem to feel like lucky picks rather than blossoming careers, it’ll take some time to see how they carve out their futures – he’s right about there not being a structure; since 2015, in the US many breakout black filmmakers used their reputations to produce and nurture others, there’s the box office aspect too, we don’t have many box office hits being directed by black folks in the UK, Blue Story was the biggest for some time.

I want to quickly shout-out Remi Weekes because His House was one of my top films of last year and I really see the future of UK film in work like that – would’ve been a hit in the cinemas for sure.

Anthony Vander: I hugely agree with all of the points made above. The talent has always been there but the exposure, and platform have proved problematic. Times are slowly changing but for a while, there has been an inferiority complex on our shores, with regard to America and gatekeepers for approval. When I directed my feature film back in 2013, it wasn’t until it was accepted into the American Black Film Festival and celebrated over there that we got any traction in the UK. I remember going to a panel that was celebrating Black film which included Noel Clarke, David Oyelowo, Tarrell Alvin McCraney, and Barry Jenkins. This season was over a month-long, although Noel Clarke was on the panel, he was very upset that none of his films was being shown during the season and rightly so… Up until very recently there has been a lot of talks and panels (which are important don’t get me wrong) but not enough exposure to funding or celebrating of these great filmmakers. Horrace Ove comes to mind when I think of great filmmakers, yet the average film-goer might struggle to identify who that is. I think times are changing because we have realised that we are the disruptors and gatekeepers and that we can self-fund and get our films made regardless.

Tomisin Adepeju: Great points Anthony! Didn’t know you had made a feature, wow! What’s it called? Congrats man. It’s also crazy that until you got into that festival (one of the largest in America) that you got some love and recognition back home. It’s unacceptable. As a Black British filmmaker, you should be supported by your industry. You mentioning Horrace Ove brings to mind other filmmakers like Menelik Shabazz, Issac Julien, Ngozi Onwurah, and many others who paved the way for us. They set the foundation in the 70s/80s & 90s, they made these groundbreaking films largely on their own pretty much.

Levi, your point about Weekes & Amoo being just a handful picked out of a large crop of people is fair because the industry points to these people to perhaps show that there are black directors being supported by major bodies like the BFI, FILM 4, etc. And I know they can’t support everyone that applies for their schemes but there should be more than just one or two black filmmakers making films recognised by these institutions, as Weekes demonstrated with his masterful debut, His House – we have a lot it talent if we are given the platform and resources to tell our stories!

Kashif Boothe: You guys have raised some really good points! I feel like Black British filmmakers don’t get the same critical acclaim as white directors. We only get the praise when we are making content which commissioners deem as marketable. I think about why it takes a lot of directors longer for their career to take off after having a hit film is because execs in the film and TV industry in the UK probably don’t think storylines that are not about trauma, oppression, racism, microaggressions will be appealing to a non-black audience. The success of Shola Amoo and Rapman etc is inspiring and hopefully is going to open up more doors for people but it will take a while and unfortunately, we will have to get success internationally first to then get the recognition in the UK.

Duaine Carma Roberts: The closest thing here to an Ava Duvernay is Amma Asante, but she doesn’t get a lot of support from our Black British community. I feel sometimes we’ll self-fund short projects, that might get taken on by broadcaster, but never grows past that. Being from Birmingham especially, there’s not really funding. I couldn’t give you more than 1-3 feature films I know that have been made here recently. I’m not sure how I’ve managed to self-fund and make a feature, but somehow I have. I think it’s because if we don’t do it ourselves, no one will. I think if platforms like SBTV/Link Up TV etc helped with filmmakers as much as musicians, we’d see a big rise, as they helped with Rapman when he released Shiro’s Story. I feel in the UK, the majority of people see filmmaking as something hard and elitist to get into, whereas music seems like something anyone can step in to, with no issue. In terms of companies saying they’ll invest more in diverse productions, I feel it’s just to save face.

Wow, thanks all for engaging in this discussion! There’s plenty more we could have delved deep into here but I’m sure this going to be illuminating and educational to so many people all over the world. There’s a lot to take away here for young Black filmmakers as well as those working in the industry in other areas, I think you’re all incredibly talented and I can’t wait to see how your futures develop, I’ll be watching your films and hoping to bump into you in the future, for now, stay healthy, stay safe, peace!

Film Inquiry would like to thank Anthony Vander, Tomisin Adepeju, Dauine Carma Roberts and Kashif Boothe for taking the time to speak with us!

Every filmmaker mentioned: Steve McQueen, Ava Duvernay, Barry Jenkins, Bradford Young, Boots Riley, Jordan Peele, Noel Clark, Remi Weekes, Destiny Ekaragha, Aki Omoshaybi, Debbie Tucker Green, Shola Amoo, Rapman, David Oyelowo, Tarrell Alvin McCraney, Horrace Ove, Menelik Shabazz, Issac Julien, Ngozi Onwurah, Amma Asante.